How it Used to Be
by startlinggrey
Summary: They hit an all-time-low that summer. They never could've thought it would have happened. No one else it town did either. They were inseparable, or so everybody thought. But things change and so can relationships.


It begins with one comment, which turns into an argument. Then, suddenly they're both shouting. Finally, it stops. The door slams. Footsteps hit the ground quickly, at a running pace. A couple sniffles are muffled. A car alarm goes off and is silenced. Then the sound of an engine, and the speeding off of the car. The door swings open, two steps are taken before a quiet, "I'm sorry." Only the crickets hear it.

_"Hey. It looks like you could use some cheering up." _

_"Yeah I could. Work was awful today. I...I'm actually very hungry. Do you think we could eat first?" she asks. _

_"Of course. It's all ready." he leads her to the kitchen._

The sun rises, but there is no warmth. Percy wakes up to find his house strangely quiet. Why was it so still? Then he remembers. He should call her and apologize. He gets up and looks for his phone, which has fallen off the bed. Dialing her number by heart, he anxiously waits. It goes to voicemail. No "Hey, I'm sorry for what happened. We were both really tired and worn out. I was stupid. I'm really sorry. Let's never do that again. I love you." But a "Hi, it's Annabeth Chase. Sorry I missed your call, I'll get back to you ASAP." Beep-. Percy doesn't say anything. He knows she's ignoring him. He knows he messed up. He really did it this time. He hangs up. What can he do?

_"This smells amazing, Perce." She bit into the food. "It tastes amazing too." _

_"Thanks, it's no biggie really, just spaghetti." _

_"But I appreciate you making it for me." she says seriously. _

_"Annabeth, it's really not a problem. I had to make food anyway." _

_"Oh, okay, so it's just any food, not just for me. Alright, cool, great."_

Percy steps out of the shower, he wraps himself in a towel and realizes its Sunday. He doesn't work today. He might've slept in. If he could've. He walks to his bedroom and sits on the bed. The room is blue, with white accents and white sheets. It calms Percy. He checks his phone, no calls or texts from Annabeth. He'd left over four different messages saying he was sorry. He texted so many times he couldn't count. He wishes he could see her. His mind wanders, wondering "Why? Why? Why?" Where did he go so wrong. Percy knows he stepped the line last night. And now he fears he may have lost her for good. The thought makes his eyes water. Not after everything they'd been through. Ten long years of friendship, and just 3 of those short years they were actually together. A couple. And inseparable bond of best friends and lovers. And he had broken it.

_"No, that's not what I meant." Percy says exasperatedly, "I had a hard day at work too."_

_ "I know, I know, I'm really crabby. I shouldn't have been so sensitive. How about you tell me about your day I'll tell you about mine."_

Percy decides he can't let her go. Last night he had seemed defensive, but he meant for them to make something permanent. He decides to call Thalia. "Hello?" "Uh, hi." He says awkwardly. "Oh." she says shortly, "It's you." "Yeah, well..." "She's not okay." "I know. I really messed things up. Would you tell her... would you tell her I'm sorry?" "She's not ready to hear that yet. But I'll pass it on." she hung up. He's not sure if he can do this. This no-Annabeth-whatsoever-under-any-circumstances. She's part of his routine, his life. He's missing a piece of himself. Percy goes home. He's out of it. He wants to watch a movie. Of course the first thing he grabs off the shelf is Annabeth's favorite. He puts it in. He doesn't cry through the whole thing, just most of it. He misses Annabeth.

_"Well first, I get my coffee and as I get to the office, I spill it all over my shirt. Then my boss tells me I have an emergency conference that started fifteen minutes ago. So I show up messy and late, not a good first impression, and then they start talking in Chinese. I guess someone had told them the meeting would be with someone who knew their language, but I certainly didn't. Then I get pulled out of that, my boss apologizing and saying he got it mixed up. He tells me to take the rest of the day off. But I couldn't because I had an assignment due today, so I spent forever working on it and my partner didn't even show up." he says._

Two days. It's been two very long days for Percy. He hasn't hung out with any of his friends, despite the many invitations and the 'it'll help you forget about her'. But he doesn't want to forget. He wants to remember. He wants to know what he did wrong and change it. He never wants to hurt her. He never meant to. Percy figures out what he wants. He knows he loves her. He didn't say it enough. If she forgives him, he wants to marry her. He sighs laying on his bed. He pulls out his phone and checks it again. He unlocks it, looking at his lock screen. It's a picture of her, the day she graduated. She looks calm, and relieved. But most of all she looks happy. It makes his heart heavy. He hopes he made her happy. Sure they weren't the perfect couple, but in the long run, he hopes she was. Annabeth made him happy, that at least he knew.

_"Wow, that is tough, but listen to mine. So I leave my house late because my breakfast burned and I had to remake it. And then get I stuck in traffic, which is not good because I had an important client to meet and impress. I finally got to my office and there she was. My old enemy from high school, Rachel Dare. She was all smug because I was late and very unorganized. And it turns out she might be taking over the company and that is why she was there. She cannot be my boss. And then as I'm leaving I notice someone rear ended me and didn't do anything about it." she finishes._

He sees Thalia at a coffee shop a week later. "How is she?" He asks. "Coping." she replies. He wants to see, call, or even text her. They haven't be in this kind of no contact since she went to Europe for two weeks. Yet, he knows its not time. He knows her. She needs a couple days to get over it. Then she deals with it. And usually, hopefully, she let's him in again. Annabeth has only shut him out twice before. Once when her mom left and once when Percy took another girl to Prom. Hey, he didn't know she'd liked him then. But this time was different. It was personal between them. No one could fix it, except for them.

_"Ooo, yours is pretty bad. Mine is still worse though." Percy states._

_ "No way, you have it easy." Annabeth grumbles. _

_"I have it easy?!" _

_"Yes!" _

_"How? I have a longer shift than you." _

_"Because..."_

He sees her at the grocery store one day. Just by coincidence. Maybe he knows when she likes to shop. She is beautiful. She looks a little freer. A little less on edge. He made her edgy? But she also looks a little less happy. That made Percy feel horrible and wonderful at the same time. He caused her the pain, what made her sad. But he knew that she was a bit sad because she missed him too. He missed her so badly sometimes it hurt. He wanted to say something. Anything. He couldn't do it. She had to make her decision. She turns around and Percy ducks his head, pretending to look for something on a lower shelf. When he looks back, she's gone.

_"I have to work longer, without pay to get the job done. You work the same length as me, but get paid for the whole time. I have to put in extra hours." she states. _

_"Okay sure. Whatever." Percy spat. They sit in silence, the temperature of the room rising. _

_"You know, if you could finish everything in your work time, we could spend more time together." _

_"Well excuse me for trying to make a living in this world." she snaps._

He hears a buzzing. It wakes him up. It takes a minute to figure out its his phone and another to fumble around and find it.

"Hello?" His voice is groggy and deep.

"Gosh, for a minute there I didn't think you'd pick up."

"Well, sorry I was kinda dead asleep."

"Percy? It's noon." they chuckle.

That laugh. That voice. It couldn't be. Annabeth. Percy sat straight up.

"It's you."

"Yeah."

"I-"

"Wait. I'm going to meet you. We'll talk then. I'm... not ready yet."

"Okay." he whispers.

"Bye Percy."

"Bye, love you." She pauses.

"I know." The line goes dead.

Oh. It was a habit of his. Especially with his mom. He didn't mean to say 'love you'. He doesn't regret it. She knows, says a part of him. She knows he loves her. He'd said it before to her. This time seemed different. As if it was widening the gap instead of closing it.

_"It's true. We don't spend enough time together. Most people at this stage in their relationship move in together." _

_"If this is about when I bought my own place..." _

_"It's not entirely, but it would've been nice. Don't you think?!" he growls._

The text comes 6 days later.** 'next week, 7 o'clock p.m., our park.'** Percy sighs. Their park, where they first kissed. Where it all started. And hopefully not where it ends. He thinks of what he'll say. He doesn't know. Let what happens, happen. Percy doesn't count down the days. They just kind of tick by. Numb hour after numb hour. He's in a shell shock. He's got to get out. Percy decides to take a walk. He goes outside. Its a cooler night, but he loves the brisk air. He loves to walk with his hand in Annabeth's, keeping her warm. He doesn't know what he would've done without her. He doesn't know what he'll do without her.

_ "I do the best that I can. I have a future to look towards!" she replies. _

_"But does it include me? Does your precious future include me!? We could have saved so much time by being together more."_

It's the day before he's suppose to meet her and Percy's freaking out. Not only has he not seen her in over two weeks, but it's under unfriendly circumstances. He hasn't felt her missing presence this badly. He can't do it. She is like his oxygen. Each day without her was like swimming with anchors tied to his feet. He needed her. What if she didn't need him? How would he manage? He wouldn't. He cursed himself for the millionth time for making such a stupid decision. He didn't want to loose her. Percy needed his girlfriend back. But most importantly he needed his other half back.

_"I know Perce, but..." _

_"All I hear of your future is where and what you are going to do with your career. Never who or why. It's always business and work, work, work? Do you care about our relationship?" _

_"I DO! I think, I love you Percy. But with this going the way it is... I don't know anymore. How can you expect me to just know about everything all at once?" _

_"I don't. But I would've thought you'd figured some things out_."

Percy sits on the bench under the gorgeous apple tree. He remembers climbing it with Annabeth when they were younger. The evening is ridiculously beautiful and the whole thing is practically perfect. To any passerby, Percy seems perfectly content. But he is very, very nervous. His ADHD wasn't helping his situation. So he watches the people to keep his mind busy. There are lots of dog walkers and stroller pushers. Percy thinks it would be nice to do that with Annabeth. Care for something with her. He glances around the park and that's when he sees her. She is stunning. Percy wonders how he was so lucky. She walking towards him with purpose. He's quite anxious now. She's coming closer, closer...

_"I think I just did." she said softly. _

_"Fine. If that's what you choose." _

_"Then goodbye Percy." _

_"Yeah, well, goodbye."_

"Hey." Percy sighs.

"Hey." she says.

"I'm so sorry." He doesn't admit it, but he's near to tears.

"I know." she smiles.

"I've missed you, so much." His voice cracks and he wipes at his eyes.

Her eyes start to water. "Me too."

He pulls her into a hug and they both are crying.

She pulls back and looks at him. "I love you, too." she whispers.

They know it'll be okay.


End file.
